Lumen Cove

by Dianne Frost

  Alex didn’t let go of her arm as they followed the line of teen girls and their fathers across the marbled floor. It wasn’t until the girl in front of her turned to her father and he pulled her into his arms, joining their hands to spin into a waltz that Kelsey remembered the First Dance was reserved for fathers and daughters.

  “Oh, Alex we don’t have to-” She stuttered but it was already too late. He’d managed to uncoil his arm from hers in a graceful motion that only required the slightest tug for her to be against him, his hand settling at her lower back as his other found hers, holding it at the perfect height, his chest open to her and his shoulders strong.

  Alex fought the urge to pull her closer, actually maneuvered his hand on her back up a little higher when he’d heard the murmurings around them. His face remained blank as he looked down into Kelsey’s and she took a deep breath, her eyes troubled as she let him spin her into the group of dancers on the floor. Alex was a very good at the waltz, Kelsey decided almost immediately. She and Elliot always had a momentary battle of wills over who was to lead and it took them several full rotations before they managed to slip into the graceful cadence she and Alex had fallen immediately into.

  “Where’d you learn to waltz?” She asked and he felt her slip just a little closer, his arm circling her a little more fully.

  “The Corp,” Alex replied, looking down at her from under his lashes while still keeping his shoulders back and his neck long. “You dance well.”

  “It’s important to have a good lead,” she replied and she could see a smile tugging at the corner of his lips but he didn’t give in to it. “Alex, I-”

  “You don’t have to thank me,” he interrupted even though he knew that’s not what she was going to say. He caught her wounded expression before she could turn her face away and it lacerated him.

  “You’ve… you’ve been through this before?” She asked, after a moment, her voice low and uneven. When he didn’t respond she looked up at him and he could see her trying to keep her eyes from going misty.

  “It’ll get easier,” he said softly and she looked up at him skeptically causing a smile to tug at his lips.

  “When?” She asked and he sucked in a breath at the pain evident on her face despite the soft huff of a laugh she emitted before looking away. He tugged her minutely closer.

  “When you find someone else,” he said softly, his eyes catching on something across the room and she looked over her shoulder to see Elliot and the other boys making their way across the dance floor in neat lines, finding their dates with slow ease.

  “Hey,” Elliot said breathlessly, his eyes studying Kelsey’s face before giving her a quick once over. “You look… you look… beautiful.”

  Alex watched Kelsey give Elliot a smile that looked more to Alex like a grimace. Elliot’s eyes met his and there was no puzzlement there, just a sad understanding. Elliot gave him a solemn nod and Alex returned it. Kelsey looked up at Alex as he began to pull back from her, her hand squeezing at his as if on instinct and he squeezed back ever so slightly, giving her his tight lipped smile as he placed her hand in Elliot’s.

  “Take good care of her, Mr. Braum,” Alex said, trying to inject some humor into his voice but he couldn’t seem to get any kind of inflection past the sudden lump in his throat. Kelsey’s brow creased looking at him, her eyes staying on him even as Elliot maneuvered them away.

  “Will do, Mr. Danvers. Thanks!”

  Kelsey opened her mouth to say something but Alex merely tipped his chin up, blinking slowly at her and the concern was replaced by hurt which was when she finally looked at Elliot, giving him a small smile. Alex gritted his teeth as he watched Elliot pull her close. Kelsey leaned back at the waist just enough to keep her chest from touching his. Their first course was awkward and stilted, Kelsey taking the lead when Elliot didn’t and then Elliot attempting to take the lead back from her. Alex winced, watching until the finally fell into a smooth waltz before he tore his eyes away and stepped back over to the punch bowl.

  “That was really sweet of you, man,” Fitz said as he reached into his breast pocket and pulled out a flask.

  He offered it to Alex more as a courtesy and was surprised when his friend grabbed it from him and took a deep gulp. Fitz opened his mouth to warn him that it was whiskey in there but Alex didn’t even flinch, just swallowed and handed the flask back to Fitz. Fitz shook his head slowly, tipping his head back for a drink and wondering if his best friend was ever going to stop surprising him.

  “Hey do you see Hilary anywhere?” Fitz asked, glancing around the ballroom and Alex shook his head, his eyes still trained pensively on the dance floor. “Good.”

  Alex caught movement out of the corner of his eye and did a double take as Fitz poured nearly the entire flask into the punch bowl. Alex gawked at him as he took the ladle and mixed the punch thoroughly before grinning and dipping up a glass for a girl and her date. Alex had half a mind to warn them but his attention was once more drawn to Kelsey, still in Elliot’s arms but speaking with Reva who was being spun in quick circles by Logan. Elliot began spinning Kelsey in the opposite direction so their conversation was cut into what looked like a few small phrases. Before long they were giggling madly, each hanging on to her partner to keep from tripping. Alex felt something sharp settle in his chest.

  “There, maybe next year we can get bar duty,” Fitz muttered to him and Alex felt his friend’s elbow jab at his bicep. “How’s Charming? She upset her dad blew her off?”

  Alex blinked, tearing his eyes away from her to look at Fitz. “Ah… she was disappointed,” Alex said and Fitz nodded.

  “Figured you might be a little disappointed too seeing as you’re out $300,” Fitz said and Alex looked at him open mouthed as his friend took a drink from the flask, a sly grin pulling at his lips. “Heard it from Lucy, one of Sully’s girls.”

  “What are you doing hanging around with Sully’s girls?” Alex asked and Fitz shrugged his shoulders indifferently.

  “Where else am I supposed to get weed?” Fitz asked offering the flask to Alex who took it, eyeing Fitz over the lip before taking a shot. “I know Hilary is all touchy-feely about the project student thing, but I gotta admit man you’ve been a lot more… I dunno,” Fitz said, replacing the flask in his breast pocket, “I don’t wanna say happy but… yeah… kinda happy since you started helping her.”

  “Oh come on,” Alex said rolling his eyes but he felt his stomach pull tight, a nervous flash rushing over his skin.

  “Nah, I mean I’m not trying to go all Doctor Phil on you here but something about that girl got that stick outta your ass that I’ve been trying to remove for years. She was good for you.”

  “Jesus, Fitz,” Alex muttered, pinching the bridge of his nose against the burn at the back of his throat, feeling suddenly unable to breathe. She’s good for you.

  “What! I’m not saying it’s anything weird,” Fitz replied, hitting Alex’s arm with the back of his hand. “I’m just saying that, she seemed to come out of her shell a little - I mean, look at her and Braum,” Fitz gestured and Alex reluctantly followed the movement.

  Kelsey was flush against Elliot now, his face mere centimeters from hers and she looked uncomfortable, whatever he was saying to her making her uneasy. Her eyes flicked across the room to Alex, pleading with him help and Alex’s feet itched to go to her. He merely looked down at his shoes, picking up his feet and putting them down. She wasn’t his to rescue. Fitz hit him on the arm harder than ever.

  “Oh… oh oh! He’s making his move! He’s doing it! LookLookLook!”

  Alex looked up just in time to see Elliot close the gap between his lips and Kelsey’s and even with her face half obscured by Elliot’s she looked utterly surprised. It didn’t last more than half a second but to Alex it had been long enough to suck all the air from his lungs and send a hot flash of anger and adrenalin over his skin. He waited for her eyes to find his again but they didn’t, instead stayed focused on Elliot and whatever he was
saying to her so earnestly.

  Soon they were lost in the crowd of parents and students all crowding the dance floor, the formal waltz devolving into a gentle swaying in each other’s arms. Alex felt hollow and rung out, a deep melancholy seeming to settle into his bones. This was exactly what he’d wanted, he tried to convince himself. It was just happening faster than he anticipated. He’d been sure that Kelsey would spurn Elliot’s advances a little while longer. He felt the weight of all of it then, as suddenly as if he hadn’t been wrangling with it for the past week.

  She was gone. He’d pushed her away, just like he always did, though this wasn’t anything like he’d ever experienced. He had of course done the right thing. His moral compass seemed to be pointing due north once again but there was no satisfaction in it. In fact he resented it, a low burning anger fanned by… what? Hurt, his mind answered and he almost laughed aloud. He was hurt? After everything he’d put her through he somehow had the audacity to be hurt by letting her go?

  He was being ridiculous. Within a couple of weeks he would be back to normal, maybe still missing her some but not like he was right then with every fiber in his body trying to stretch out to her, to take her in his arms and tell her he was sorry, that he didn’t really want this. Eventually his mind would be his own again until then he would have to manage with that soft refrain repeating over and over in his subconscious.

  Come back, Kelsey. Come back.

  To Be Continued

  Coming Winter 2017/2018

  Kelsey Charming is just trying to make it to graduation and avoid her ex, which is difficult considering she’s enrolled in his English class.

  When the new bad boy in town takes an interest in Kelsey, she makes some decisions that alienate her friends and make Alex take notice. The closer she gets to Chase the more she starts to wonder if a full ride to the college of her choice is really what she wants or just what everyone wants for her.

  Alex didn’t think it would be this hard watching Kelsey move on, but he also didn’t expect her to do it with a guy like Chase. The more he tries to distance himself from her the more she ends up in trouble right in front of him. When a series of events leads to him accompanying her on a week of campus tours, Alex is forced to decide between continuing to do the right thing or being the man Kelsey can depend on no matter what comes their way.

  Acknowledgments

  Thanks to my fourth-grade teacher Mrs. Grabowski for making us read our creative writing assignments out loud. I don’t think I ever would have ended up here without those first small words of praise.

  To my high school speech team coaches, Tammy Pullam and Becky Stanton, without whom I would have left this world before this book was ever thought of. Thank you for your support and love when I needed it the most. Whenever you feel like you’re not making a difference, please look at this book of smut which would not be here without you. I hope you’re proud. Or at the very least not horrified.

  Thank you to my family, all of you. Though we are fractured we are not unmendable. I love you so.

  To my best friends, Jacey, Nicole, Rachel and Brittany, your support through this entire endeavor has been invaluable.

  Immense gratitude to Beth Ely, Jen Sui and DL White who gave me their time and expertise for free.

  Thanks to the fanfiction community especially to my NF Archive girls who read me when I was just a little fangirling nerd. Thanks for reading and reviewing.

  Thank you to all my indie-writing friends that live in my computer, especially the ASPW girls for answering all my quesshions.

  Huge thank you to all my friends, Facebook and otherwise, who supported me with pre-orders and words of congratulations upon hearing that I had completed this novel. I’d been warned by other indie authors not to expect much from family and friends as far as interest and support so I was pretty shocked to have such an outpouring of love and excitement from all of you. Just proving once again that my friends are the coolest.

  Thank you to my furkids, Tyrion and Victoire, who forced me to take breaks by insisting on having pets and cuddles and treats.

  Thank you to every author who has inspired me to write. Stephen King, Libba Bray, Chuck Palahniuk, J. K. Rowling, Markus Zusak and Suzanne Collins just to name a few.

  Justin Timberlake, I love you. Always and forever. Amen.

  About the Author

  Dianne Frost is a fiction writer from Atlanta, Georgia by way of Southern Illinois. She started writing in fourth grade when her teacher loved a creative writing assignment she wrote inspired by the TV mini-series based on Stephen King’s novel, The Shining.

  Since then she has authored many short stories and novel length works in fan fiction communities across the web, including Nsync, Harry Potter and Supernatural. The Physics of Leaving, the sequel to Lumen Cove, will be available winter of 2017/2018

  Currently, she is a senior graphic designer for a really cool company that lets her write during her lunch hour. She has two cats, Tyrion and Victoire, spends way too much time watching Netflix and not enough time at the gym.

  You can follow her at the links below as well as on Instagram and Pinterest at dianneinwriting

  For more information visit:

  dianneinwriting.com

  authordiannefrost@gmail.com